Tigers’ Kinsler avoids suspension for rant about umpire

Detroit — He will be thinner in the wallet, but Ian Kinsler avoided the harsher punishment — a suspension — after the Tigers second baseman verbally gashed umpire Angel Hernandez during the early-week series at Texas.

Kinsler told Katie Strang of The Athletic that he had been fined by commissioner Rob Manfred’s office after he verbally strafed Fernandez, who had been tossed by Hernandez, Monday’s home-plate umpire, following a balls-strikes dispute in the series opener.

Kinsler could have gotten a suspension after he lit into Hernandez a day after his ejection, saying: “I don’t know how, for as many years as he’s been in the league, he can be that bad.

“He needs to reevaluate his career choice, he really does.”

Kinsler and Hernandez shook hands during Wednesday’s game at Texas. Commissioner Rob Manfred’s office wasn’t quite as forgiving, socking him with an undisclosed fine. But the absence of a suspension meant Kinsler will apparently be free to stick in manager Brad Ausmus’ lineup.

Kinsler was at his usual leadoff spot Friday for a weekend series against the Dodgers at Comerica Park.

lynn.henning@detroitnews.com

Twitter.com/Lynn_Henning